How to achieve a natural makeup look for ethnic skin

Every day, natural makeup should be effortless, quick and easy, but achieving it requires skill and the ability to recognise what colours…

Every day, natural makeup should be effortless, quick and easy, but achieving it requires skill and the ability to recognise what colours and tones suit your skin.

'Asian and black women will naturally have darker eyebrows and lashes, which means they don’t need to spend ages on eye makeup,' says celebrity makeup artist Ruhena Begum. 'But they also suffer more from dark under-eye circles, pigmentation and discolouration so it’s important to start with a good base.

'When it comes to natural makeup I’d suggest keeping it simple. Stick to a palette of two or three colours that compliment your skin tone and avoid anything with a thick or heavy texture.'

What products do I need?

Foundation. The key to achieving a natural base is to make it look like you’re not wearing anything at all.

This means putting down the heavier, full coverage foundation and replacing it with a lightweight tinted moisturiser or BB cream.

'Black and Asian women tend to suffer more from uneven, pigmented skin,' says Ruhena. 'But that doesn’t mean you need to apply layers of thick foundation to cover it up.

'Pick a tinted moisturiser or BB cream and gradually build up the coverage for a more natural finish. Any patches or blemishes can then be covered up with concealer.'

A natural base also relies on picking the right shade; if it’s too dark you can look orange and if it’s too light it can make your skin look ashy and dull.

'Head to your local beauty counter and ask for some samples of different shades and then try it out in natural light to make sure it's the right colour for your skin,' says Ruhena. 'Swipe each shade across your wrist; the shade that disappears is the right one for you'.

Blusher and bronzer. To fake fresh, healthy looking skin, apply blusher to your cheekbones. This will recreate that flushed glow you get after a workout and instantly make you look more youthful.

'A cream blush will give you a more dewy finish than a powder,' says Ruhena. 'The same goes for bronzers - creams, gels or mousses can help create a healthy glow.'

Eyes. The darker your eyes and lashes the less makeup you will need to emphasise them.

'Invest in a good pair of eyelash curlers,' Ruhena advises. 'They instantly open up your eyes and make you look more awake. Then follow with a coat of mascara.'

For a more defined natural eye apply a brown or black kohl pencil around the lash line. 'Line the upper and lower lash line with kohl and then smudge it in with your fingers for a more natural finish. A nude or light brown eyeshadow can also help you look more bright eyed.

'Stick to natural tones. And whatever you do, avoid anything too shimmery or glittery. Matte and cream textures will give a more natural finish.'

Lips. Black and Asian women tend to suffer more from pigmented lips or a darker lip line, which means tinted lip products aren’t much use. 'I’d recommend going for a richly pigmented lipstick with a glossy texture.

'If your lips aren’t very dark then go for a tinted lip balm or lip stain.'

How should I apply them?

Black and Asian women tend to suffer more from pigmented lips or a darker lip line, which means tinted lip products aren’t much use.

'I’d advise choosing a richly pigmented lipstick with a glossy texture. If your lips aren’t very dark then go for a tinted lip balm or lip stain.'

Foundation. The key to a flawless base is blending. 'Take a few extra minutes to really buff your foundation in. And make sure you go past your jawline so that it blends into your neck.

'Our fingers are not well equipped to blend foundation in properly so use a stippling brush to ensure it goes on seamlessly'.

Concealer. If you have dark circles or discoloration under your eyes, a light, creamy concealer can help disguise them

'Applying three dots of concealer under your eyes and then blend it gently using your ring finger. Be careful not to apply too much product as it can sink into and emphasise any lines and creases around the eye area.'

Blusher. 'Powder blush should be applied with a big, fluffy brush along the apples of your cheek. Avoid the small, densely packed brushes that come with some compacts as they can make the blusher look streaky and create harsh lines.

'For cream blush, your fingers work best as the heat from them helps the product melt into your skin.'

Eyeshadow. Keep your eyeshadow natural by sticking to just two shades.

''Apply a light, nude tone all over your eyelid and just above your crease. Then use slightly darker shade to softly line the top lid and outline your crease.

'Finally, take a small fluffy brush and blend the colours together so that there’s no obvious line between them.'

Lip colour. If your lips are naturally light you can skip the lip liner and apply a tinted lip balm or sheer lipstick straight from the tube.

Dark lips will need something with more pigment or a nude lip liner first to block out the pigmentation in their lips.

Which colours should I use?

As a general rule darker skin suits most colours, but avoid anything with an icy or cool undertone as it creates a unattractive contrast against the warmer, golden tones often found in South Asian, Hispanic and Afro-Caribeean skin.

Most bronzers will also suit this skin tone, but anything too golden or light might look chalky. 'Most lip colours suit darker Asian skin, but steer clear of extremely light, nude shades which will wash you out and make your complexion look dull.

'When picking a nude lip colour go for one with a pink undertone to help brighten up your face.'

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